Burnham plans to collaborate with social media creators

Another key to Burnham’s campaign strategy was connecting with and organizing grassroots social media activists.

Among the politicians and workers invited to stand outside Number 10 to watch Burnham become prime minister on Monday were teenage TikTokers whose video edits have brought them a new social media audience.

Between them, Will, Lottie, Megan, Ellen and Poppy, aged between 17 and 19, have amassed millions of likes on TikTok, and on forums share memories, trends and nostalgia of New Labour’s cast, including Burnham’s time in office.

Labor campaigners were invited to join him on the Makersfield by-election campaign trail, edited online in a language and style that resonated with people.

One of the ways they got thousands of likes was by having them sign and pose for photos with Gen Z’s famous red pre-made cocktails.

Megan Cassidy, 19, from Havering, started working on Labor Content a year ago and said it was “real” to find herself in Downing Street.

The young Labor campaigners said they were given access to Burnham and his footage by their group, but were not paid and could choose to edit the material as they liked.

They saw it as an opportunity to catch up with social media-savvy parties like Reform, led by Nigel Farage, and the Green Party, which has made significant progress in recent months.

He told the BBC that Burnham was a “natural” and was happy with the sudden emergence of the content.

“I think he’s got it compared to other politicians at all compared to Starmer,” Megan said.